Sewing machine attachment



June 14, 1932. I J sAlLER 1,863,168

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ug, llllIllIlI 0' mummy Q 1 L \MMMMW June 14, 1932. R, J, AILER 1,863,168

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rudolph JAai/er 994mm? I I WM 6 W1 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUDOLPH J. SAILER, 0F TOWNLEY, NEW

JERSEY CORPORATION OF NEW SEWING MAGHIN E ATTACHMENT Application filed August 20, 1929. Serial No. 387,123.

This invention relates to an attachment for stitching a facing-strip to the fronts and curved neck-portions of garments such as athletic underwear.

An object of the present invention is the construction of an attachment whereby the facing-strip is guided to the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewing machine in such manner that when stitched to the edge-portion of a garment the facing-strip will lie flat and smooth no matter whether it is secured to a straight front-portion or curved neck-portion of the garment.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for stretching, at will, either edge of the facing-strip which is to have the greater radius of curvature when applied to the garment.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means under the control of the operator for rendering the fabric stretching mechanism operative or'inoperative or for varying its action while the stitchforming mechanism continues in operation.

The invention consists of a presser-foot so mounted upon a shank that its work-engaging portion may be tilted crosswise of the line of feed, a guide upon the sewing machine work-support for directing to the stitchorming mechanism the edge of the bodymaterial and a guide for directing a strip beneath the edge of the body-material. A controlling lever is mounted upon the work-sup port and operatively connected with tho worleengaging plate of the presser-foot whereby it may be tilted so as to place a drag upon one edge of the facing-strip, stretching such edge. while permitting free movement of the other edge of the strip. The arrangement is such that either edge oi. the facingstrip may be stretched and the extent of the stretching action progressively controlled while the strip is being attached to the curved neck-portion of the garment or the workengaging plate may be set so as to bear evenly upon the material when sewing along a straight portion of the garment-edge. Provision is also made for shifting the edgeguide in angular relation with the line of seam-formation when operating the controlillustrate one embodiment of my invention, I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine with the attachment for guiding the edge-portion of a garment and the facing-strip to the stitch-forming mecha- L nism, Fig. 2 1s a top plan View of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views of the presser-mechanism, upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on line 5-'5 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the curved edge portion of a garment with a flat facing-strip stitched thereto.

The attachment is shown applied to a sewing machine comprising the bed-plate 1 provided with upstanding bearingl'ugs 2 in which is journaled the main-shaft 3 for actuating the loopers 4., 4 substantially in accordance with the United States Patent No. 1,568,397, granted January 5, 1926.

Sustained by the upstanding bearing-lugs 2, 2 is the cloth-plate 5 provided with the throat-plate 6 and slide-plate 7 The throatplate is suitably slot-ted for movement of the feed-dog 6.

Disposed above the cloth-plate 5 is an overhanging arm (not shown) terminating in a head 8 in which is journaled, for endwise reciprocatory movement, the needle-bar 9 to the lower end of which is secured the needle clamp bracket 10 provided with the needles 11. 11 which cooperate with the loopers 4. 4 in the formation of two parallel lines of chain stitches.

Secured to and spaced from the slideplate 7, by fastening screws 12 passing through the spacing guide-segment 13. is the stop-arm 14- having at its free end the n pwardly proiecting lug 15. Disposed between the slide-plate 7 and the stop-arm 14 is the movable carrier-plate 16 having the segmental slot 17 entered by the guide-segment 13. Sustained upon the upstanding portion 18 of the carrier-plate 16 is the edgeturning scroll 19 terminating in the fabricsupporting plate 20 for guiding and turning under the edge-portion of the body-ma- JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU- Y FACTURING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY it terial S of a garment. The carrier-plate 16 is provided with a lateral arm 16 the end of which is engaged by a wire spring-arm 21 secured to the slide-plate 7 by the fastening screw 22 and stop-screw 23. The springarm 21 maintains the carrier-plate 16 with its edge-turning scroll 19 in alignment with the line of feed when facing a straight edgeportion of a garment.

. Secured upon theusual presser-bar 24 by the fastening screw 25 is the shank 26 of the presser-foot. Pivotally supported upon the presser-foot shank 26 by means of the pin 27 is the supporting block 28 and pivotally supported upon the block 28 by the pin 29 is the work-engaging presser plate 30. The axis of the pivot pins 27 and 29 are arranged crosswise of each other so that the workengaging plate 30 of the presser-foot may tilt both lengthwise and crosswise of the line of feed. Entering the front portion of the presser-foot shank26 is the inclined adjusting screw. 31 provided with a jam nut 32. The conical point of the adjusting screw 31 bears upon the heelqportion of the workengaging plate 30 of the presser-foot and permits tilting said work-engaging plate 30 about its pivot 27 relative to the throat-plate 6 and lengthwise of the line of seam-formation. Tapped into ears extending laterally from the supporting block28 are the stop-screws 33 whose rounded ends bear upon the upper face of the work-engaging plate 30 and determine the tilt or inclination of the plate crosswise of the-line of seam-formation.

Extending laterally from the presser-foot shank 26 and secured thereto by the fastening screw 34 is an arm 35 between the forked ends of which is pivotally supported, upon the screw-pin 36, the two part controlling lever 37.

Embracing the controlling lever 37 is the forked extension 38 of an arm 39 extending laterally from the work-engaging plate 30 and secured to the latter by fastening screws 40. By reference to Fig. 4 it will be observed that the forked end of the arm 39 formed by the spaced members 38 constitutes a cam-slot which is inclined slightly upwardly. The position of the controlling lever 37 in said cam-slot determines the tilt or inclination of the work-engaging plate 30of the presser-foot with respect to the throat-plate 6 and the drag which stretches the edge of the facing-strip fed between the presser-foot and throat-plate.

The two sections of the controlling lever 37 are hinged at 41 so as to permit raising and loweringof the presser-foot without disturbing the position of the lever 37 in the inclined cam-slot formed by the arms 33.

Adjustably secured to the lateral arm 16 of the carrier-plate 16, by fastening screws I 42, is an extension-plate 43 provided with a 65 stud 44 adapted tobe engaged by the controlling lever 37 when shifting the edgeturning scroll member 19 with its fabricsupporting plate 20 out of the line of scamformation in stitching around the curved neck-portion of the garment. The edgeturning scroll 19 is normally maintained parallel with the line of seam-formation by the spring 21.

Secured to the controlling lever 37 by the fastening screw 45 is a spring-plate 46 having a stop-pin 47 which passes through an aperture in the lever 37 and is adapted to enter stop-apertures 48 in the segmentalguide 49 secured to the slide-plate 7 by the fastening screws 50. The stop-pin 47 maintains the controlling lever in either af its extreme adjusted positions.

Bearing against the under side of the segmental-guide 49 is a flat spring 51 secured to the underside of the controlling lever 37 by fastening screws 52 and terminating in the upstanding finger-piece 53.

Mounted upon the underside of the slideplate 7 is the strip-guide 54 for the facing strip S. This strip-guideis of the usual character and is constructed to fold in the edges of the facing-strip.- It is mounted upon a bracket 55 depending from the under side of the slide-plate 7 to which it is secured by fastening screws 56. The strip-guide is inclined upwardly and its delivery end projects through an opening 57 in the slide-plate 7 through which the facing-strip S is led to stitch-forming mechanism.

From-the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an attachment whereby a facing-strip may be secured flat and smooth upon the under side and edge-portion of a garment. lVhen applying the facingstrip to the curved neck-portion of a garment the controlling lever 37 is shifted so that the work-engaging plate 30 of the presserfoot is tilted with one edge hearing more heavily upon that edge of the facing strip S having'the larger radius of curvature when secured thereby placing a drag upon said edge and stretching the same while permitting free movement of the other edge'of the strip. By manipulating the controlling lever 37, which may be done without retard ing or stopping the stitch-forming mechanism, the extent of the stretching action may be progressively controlled while the strip is being attached to the slightly curved neckportion of the garment. When reaching that part of the neck-portion of the garment having a short radius of curvature the controlling lever is shifted to the eXt-remeright hand position in engagement with the stud 44, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and the edgeturning scroll 19 with its fabric supporting plate 20 is shifted into angular relation with the line of seam-formation which greatly facilitates the smooth and even stitching of the facing-strip to that portion of the neck dog cooperating with said presser-foot, and

opening.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. A sewing machine for securing a strip of material in a curved path to a body-material including, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, a work-support, a guide above the work-support for directing the edge of the body-material to the stitch-forming mechanism, a guide below the Work-support for directing the strip of material to the stitcl1-forming mechanism, a tiltable presser-plate above the work-support for stretching one edge of the strip of material, and means under the control of the operator for tilting said presser-plate Without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

2. A sewing machine presser-foot, comprising a shank, a work-engaging plate mounted upon said shank and tiltable crosswise of the line of feed, and means for tilting said work-engaging plate whereby adrag is applied upon the material beneath one edge of said plate for stretching the material fed along said edge.

3. A sewing machine presser-foot, comprising a shank, a Work-engaging plate mounted upon said shank and tiltable crosswise of the line of feed, a controlling lever and a connection between said lever and said work-engaging plate for tilting the latter whereby a drag is applied upon the material beneath one edge of said plate.

4. A sewing machine attachment for securing a strip of material in a curved path to a body-material, comprising a guide normally maintained in the line of feed for directing the edge of the body-material, a guide for directing the strip, a presser-foot having a work-engaging plate, and a controlling lever for simultaneously shifting the guide for the body-material out of the line of feed and inclining the work-engaging plate of the presser-foot whereby one edge of the strip is stretched while being secured in a curved path to the body-material.

5. A sewing machine attachment for securing a strip of material in a curved path to a body-material comprising a guide movable out of the line of feed for directing the edge of the body-material, means for maintaining said guide in the line of feed, a guide for directing the strip, a presser-foot having a work-engaging plate, and a controlling lever for simultaneously shifting the guide for the body-material out of the line of feed and inclining the work-engaging plate of the presser-ioot whereby one edge of the strip is stretched while being secured in a curved path to the body-material. V

6. A sewing machine having a work-support and an overhanging bracket-arm, a presser-foot tiltable crosswise of the line of feed carried by the bracket-arm, a feedmanually operative means mounted upon the Work-support and connected with the presser-foot to vary its angle of tilt.

7. A sewing machine, including in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, feeding mechanism, a presser-foot tiltable crosswise of the line of feed, and means under the control of the operator for tilting said presserfoot without stopping the stitch-forming mechanism.

8. The combination with a feed-dog, of presser mechanism including a presser-foot shank having an arm, a presser-platecarried by said shank and tiltable relative thereto transversely of the line of feed, said presser plate having a lateral extension, and means pivotally mounted upon said arm and engaging the lateral extension of said presser-plate for tilting the latter.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RUDOLPH J. SAILER. 

